Fuel dilution device



May 19, 1953 c. slMoN 2,638,883

FUEL DILuTroN Ev'cE Filed Dec. 50, 1949 lNvE-ron @Ww www Patente-d May 19, 1953 UNITED FUEL ADILUTION "DEVI-UE rCharles. Simon, Lynbrcok, N. Y. 4 i

Application December 30, 1949, vSerial No'. 186,099 Y (Cl. ,123-1987`A 3 Claims.

'Ilhis invention pertainsfto .an improved de 'vice to prevent the thieving roi "ai-itornobi'les.y

More particularly the invention .has-'to do with a unique, simple device preferably einser-ted :in the 'fuel supplyv whereby the'fuel lis cutoff from the engine after the vengi-ne has -been 'start'ed..

Thereafter, the engine cannot `again-510e Astar-ted uri-lessa certain pa'rt of the device has been operated or manipulated.

One ci the -mai'n featuresof thein'vention is 'to provide Ian'improvedapparatus that cooperates with 'the fuel supply line whereby a ldiluting medium, sucirasI air or other i'iuid,l or liquid, will be bled into the `fuel line in 'such `quantity-that thee'ngine will soon stop.

Further, another main feature of this -improved invention is toprovide a'nove'l type of valve Vstructure which, usuallyis subject to key operation, vand to have the valve Acontrol the operation of the novel apparatus of tliedevice so as to have the diluting material or air reach the 'engine instead of the fuel.

Another feature of the improved invention isto provide a simple apparatus to be` attached lto the `fuel supply `of 'an automobile at some' point between the carburetor and the fuel 'tank and to have it automatically Aoperate to stopthe engine of the automobile 'Withina reasonable dis'- tance from vits parked position. A

Another feature of the invention includes the combining of 1the locking 'means forming part of the improved apparatus with the electrical ignitionV system `so as to have them rcooperate to open 'or 'close theignition circuit to the engine at the same time the anti-theft device -is*xr1ianipulated. A

Preferably, itis desired 'to insert part yof the apparatus in the fuel supply line between the fuel pump and the fuel tank, and to assemble Vanother portion of the apparatus, 'such as a valve, at a point in the -automobilevthat 'is convenient to the operator, or it may be positioned at some part rof the car that is less likely toy be lnoticed or found, or it may be mounted in the "glove compartment land ythereby be subject to a keylo'ck of its -own "and to the lock 'of the glove compartment. l

In the `sirriplest form the improved device consists of a tap into the ffuel line,-ian`d a pipe `connection lto a valve, which'may be vcluse'd ori'may be open vto the atmosphere 'and allow airto'rbe pulled into thel carburetor. Also, the improved apparatus provides for `several diferent air openings, .leads or entrances to the pipe tothe valve se.. that .airstilllwilfl fbe tiledv 1into-thevfuelf4 line 2;. 'even though` one or more of ythe Vleads may be purposely blocked up. The-valve inits vinert-rial position will closelthe ailr bleeding line so that fuel will be `pu-n'iped in normal-.fashion ft'o tlfie carburetor.

VIf' tine automobile has 'been started' and moved bythe-thief, the engine `vif-ill soon go dead vand he will not be lable to ysta'ritfit Without Ending and operating the valveand viin-.some instances, he will have to add #some gasoline to 'thefear- `bur-eter.

Other features/and advantages off the-invention-will be appreciatedv from the reading of the detailed Idescription which follows, and wherein Fig. l is anassernbly view diagrammatic formof the improvedapparatus --as included-in a V'fuel' system of a power unit;

Fig. 2 `is an enlarged-view partly iin-section 'of a valve operating part-ofthe device along with a lock and'key for operating-the valve and for controlling the ignition system; 'and Fig. 3 is a view partly in section yoff Aa modified structural means Vfor vclosir-ig'tlievalve.

Referring now in 'detail' to the r4drawings whereina preferred insta-liationcf thisimproved device is shown, a carburetor IB'and `puinp llifof an automobile fuel system are lslicvvn in diagram-- matic 'formin the gasoline supply-- line 2b, in wifi-cha joint l2l Iis provided in V'pipe'2`2ft1'ia`tjleads 'to 'a gas tank, notshown. A secondary piping 2.3 is shown connected to the joint 2 I` 'and is pro vided an 'elongated extension 2% mounted in the 'pipe' 22 and extending toward the' engine and Yfunctions to. allowv a suitable fuel diluting material to 'now or bei pulled `ini-,cisne fuel 'supply line 2D under certain operating conditions. 'The secondary piping 23 vprererably yextends upwardly to a. point in height whic'hfi's 'usually higherthan the top-,of the carburetor and' than `the top of 'the `gas ,supplyjta'nk "(In'oit 4shown).I A valve 2li with a. gasket Zlis provide'djtolclose over the endZBfofthe secondary piping 23`. "This valve functions to close on or toper'mit air, .as a 'fuel diluting material, toY be drawn down through the secondary .piping Iint'o pipe 221 and Iinto pipe 22 by-the operation of pump "le, thereby diluting the fuel so that the carburetor 'would allow the air to pass to the internalcombustion engine or power unitand. the fuel would be lso diluted. oronly be air that the engine would stop. While air hasbeen notedas one iuel diluting material, .materials such as fluids or'l'iquidsmay be employed,

vIt is-desirable toy .providesuch ajtype oi?y valve 26 y tlaatis biased; in one :direction `such yas, by

spring 29, and in this instance, the biasing is to automatically maintain the valve open so that air may freely pass into the secondary piping 23. Any type of structure may be employed to suitably admit yair to the secondary piping 23, and a suitable extension is incorporated with the valve for this purpose. Such an extension may take the form of a pipe extending beyond the valve to the right, or may take the form of an enclosing piping 30, as shown, which surrounds the secondary piping for a desired length. This enclosing piping may or may not have some holes or various shaped openings formed in it.

For the purpose of most easily supporting the valve and controlling its movements, a. frame 3l is provided with screw threads to engage the enclosing piping 30. An open frame work 32 is provided for properly mounting Ythe enclosing piping on the secondary piping 23. Othertypes of such open-work frames may be employed, if desired, land may be positioned vin advantageous locations. In assembling the valve and the secondary piping 23, it is desirable in the illustrative form to have spring 29 positioned between the end of the enclosingA piping 30 and the gasket 21. A knob 33 is carried by the valve 26 for the purpose of maintaining and guiding valve 26 in proper relation to secondary piping4 23 during the movements of the valve.

Also mounted in the frame 3l and positioned to cooperate with the valve 26 is a lock mechanism provided with a lock tumbler 34 and a key 36, both of which are arranged to have definite type of cooperating high and low points so that the tumbler-34 can only be oscillated or unlocked when the cooperatingkey 36 is inserted. The tumbler 34 carries a partially annular length of an electrical conducting band 31 which properly connects electrical leads 38 and 39 when the lock tumbler has been turned to ,i

ignition position.

It is also desirable to provide a suitable means for closing the valve 26 when the ignition system is closed, and in one form thereof an extension 40 is provided on key 36 so that as the key is pushed into posiiton to be able to turn tumbler 34it will push valve 26 and cause gasket 21 to close over the end 28 of the secondary piping, thereby closing all air inlets to the secondary piping. The provision of extension 40 and key 36 constitutes one manner in which the valve can be automatic-ally closed to prevent the diluting material, such as air, from reaching the fuel of the system. The structure of the apparatus in Fig. 2 shows the valve 26 seated over the end 28 of the secondary piping. o

In other instances it may be desirable to provide an offcenter means of closing the valve 26 and Fig. 3 illustrates such a modied type of structure in diagrammatic form. In the showing in Fig. 3 the lock tumbler 34 is shown as extended and as having on its end a cam-like structure 42 so that as the tumbler 34 is oscillated by key 36, the cam 42 will push the valve 26 into closed position. The structure in this Fig. 3 prevents an unauthorized person from forcing a modified type of key into tumbler 34 and against valve 26 for pushing the same to closed position.

It will be noted in Fig. 2 that the frame 3| in -the one position of Vinstallation is mounted on dash 43 and held there by a suitable nut 44.

- of the automobile' and thereby employ the lock :tumbler 34 as onelocking meansand employ the glove compartment lock as a second locking means, thus to prevent an unauthorized person from manipulating valve 26. It will be understood that the lock with its tumbler 34 and key 36 may be installed at any convenient place around the operator but usually somewhere within fairly ready reach.

When the valve 26 is open, it extends to the right from its position shown in Fig. 2 so that suitable openings 46 will allowair to be sucked into the secondary piping 23 along with the air which passes through the enclosing piping 30. Such a construction permits the flow of air into secondary piping 23 even though one or more openings may be clogged or plugged for any reason.,- Any other alternative structure may be employed so long as it provides several openings for the air at different places.

'With this improved type of preferred construction of device for preventing thieving, it will be noted that the valve 26 will automatically be open When key 36 is removed and While there will be some fuel in the pump and in the carburetor, the unauthorized person may be able to start the engine, but air will soon be drawn into the fuel pipe line and will so dilute the fuel that the engine will stop. Thus, while an unauthorized person may bridge an electrical ignition system and start the engine, that engine will continue in operation for only a short period of time before the air sodilutes the fuel that the engine stops. ItY will be noted that it will be diicult for the unauthorized person to be able to close the valve 26 even though he is able to close the electrical ignition circuit by bridging it.

It will also be understood that the ignition circuit may be separately operated and not necessarily incorporated in the lock tumbler structure. In such a case, the operator would need two keys for operating the automobile. This would be an added deterrent to the unauthorized person.

It will be further noted that with this improved fuel dilution device, a quick ready operating mechanism will prevent the theft of an automobile. It willalso be noted that the device is simple in construction and of only a few number of parts to accomplish the desired advantages.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the preferred form of the invention herein, and such modifications and changes are to be understood as being part of this invention, as outlined in the following claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In an automobile, the combination of a carburetor, a fuel supply, a pipe between said carburetor and said supply, a pump for moving fuel from said supply to said carburetor, a joint in said pipe, a secondary piping leading through said joint into said first pipe and extending to a point higher than said carburetor, an automatically opened valve in said second piping to admit air into said` fuel pipe, and means for closing said valve to prevent air from reaching said carburetor.

2. In an automobile the ycombination of `a carburetor, a fuel supply, a pipe between said carburetor and said fuel supply, a secondary pipingv connected to said first pipe, a spring pressed valve mounted in said secondary piping and automatically pressed to openv position, a frame for holding said valve and allowing its movement therein, a sleeve oversaid secondary piping for admitting air through said sleeve and through said valve into said secondary piping and into said fuel supply pipe, an ignition switch mechanism positioned and held in the lsame frame with said valve, anda key lock for closing said ignition circuit, said key having an extension to push said valve to closed position before said key can be operated to close said ignition circuit.

3. In an automobile, the combination of a carburetor for vaporizing fuel to an internal combustion engine, a liquid fuel supply, a pipe between said carburetor and said fuel supply, a pump in said pipe for moving the fuel through said pipe, a joint in said pipe with an extension therein extending part way along in said pipe toward said pump, a secondary piping connected to said joint and extending to a position in said automobile higher than said carburetor and said fuel supply, a spring pressed valve mounted at the end of said secondary piping, said valve normally being open, a frame for holding said valve yin movable position in relation to said secondaryT piping, said frame having openings leading to saidl secondary piping, an enclosing piping 6 around said secondary piping to admit air to said secondary piping, a key tumbler lock held in said frame, said tumbler having a cam-like extension for engaging said valve, and a key for turning said tumbler and forcing said valve to close all air inlets to said secondary piping and to maintain them closed during operation of the automobile.

CHARLES SIMON.

References Cited' in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,000,523 Illsley Aug. 15, 1911 1,294,328 Bowden Feb. 11, 1919 1,379,292 Szameit May 24, 1921 1,582,528 Michael Apr. 27, 1926 2,059,688 Gamage et al. Nov. 3, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 773,014 France Nov. 10, 1934 

